In Which Maya Rides the Bull Instead
by danahscott
Summary: What if, in a desperate attempt to keep Lucas safe, Maya decides to ride the bull instead? What happens then? canon divergent texas au
1. Chapter 1

"Maya," he said, "I have to do this." Maya cast her eyes downwards. On the television screen, clips of Eddie Calloway on the bull played over and over again. The heavy silence drifted between them as the dull thud of Eddie's body hitting the ground sent Maya's ears ringing.

When she looked back up at Lucas, he was noticeably pale and Riley's head was whipping back and forth between the two of them, pigtails flying behind her. Maya turned around, breath hitching, signalling the end of the conversation.

Tentative chatter began to fill the tent as Riley approached Lucas with a sweet, little smile on her face, and Maya bit back the dull ache pounding in her chest. In the corner, Farkle and Zay were talking and, after but a moment of contemplation, she headed straight towards them.

"Zay," she half-whispered, grabbing his wrist. He looked up at her, mid-sentence, eyebrows furrowed. "I need to talk to you." In a moment, Zay was up and Maya was leading him outside the tent. Maya snuck one more furtive glance at Riley and Lucas. Riley was laughing and Lucas seemed to have gotten some color back into him, which was good. Maya doubted they would even notice she was gone, which was also good. Maya opened the flap of the tent as silently as she could and pulled Zay out with her.

"What's up?" He asked, hands resting uneasily on his hips.

"I need you to stall Lucas," she said, and then she bit her lip and waited for him to respond. Zay's eyes flicked up to the sky and then back down at her.

"Why?" He said finally, like he already knew the reason, which he probably already did.

"I'm going to get Lucas out of riding that bull." The ghost of a smile passed over Zay's face.

"He's gonna be real mad at the both of us."

"Would you rather him mad or dead?"

"Good point. What are you going to do?" He asked, body already turned halfway towards the entrance of the tent.

"I'll think of something. Good luck," she said as she turned on her heel.

"Yeah, you too," and then she heard the rustling of the tent flap and she broke into a run as the speakers powered up with a staticky crackle.

"Next up, our main event: Lucas Friar tangles with Tombstone." At the sound of the announcement, Maya broke into full-fledged sprint, worrying about Zay stalling Lucas long enough but she pushed the thought out of her mind. There was nothing she could do about that now; she would just have to trust him.

Finally, breathless, Maya approached the bull's pen where a man stood with a clipboard in a booth. Maya flinched as Tombstone snorted and stomped, a monster of a beast. She wished she never signed Lucas up for this stupid rodeo. Why didn't they read the contract more carefully? Or even look up what a bull was? Maya swallowed her fear for a moment and speed walked up to the man in the booth, who looked up expectantly at the sound of her frantic footsteps.

"Hi, sorry. I have - well, there's - a contestant is dropping out. Lucas Friar." The man looked at her with exasperation etched all over his face.

"He signed a contract," the man stated, blankly. Maya's stomach sank to her feet. Would she really not be able to get Lucas out of this? If he gets hurt - oh, and it would be all her fault -

"But he can't do it, he dropped out. Please." The guy ran his hands over his face and leaned back in his chair.

"Look, Tombstone is our biggest event. That's why we had him sign the damn thing." Maya turned away for a moment, staring at Tombstone. She can't let him ride the bull. She just can't. He was worth what she was about to do.

"Okay. If you have to have someone ride it, I can." The man started to protest. "No, really. He won't, so I will. I'll do it." He leaned back in defeat.  
"Alright. Fine. Sign this waiver, and be quick about it. You've got about a minute." Maya signed and initialled so, if she got hurt, they wouldn't be legally responsible.

It wasn't until the helmet was thrust into her hands that she started to consider the magnitude of what she was about to do. She could get hurt. _Really_ hurt. Like never-walk-again hurt. Like maybe-even-but-hopefully-not-death hurt.

Did Maya really want to do this? Her fingers were shaking and her knuckles were white as she gripped the helmet. Maya untied the bandana from around her neck, took her vest off and set it down. In a decisive manner, Maya put the helmet on her head.

If all those things could happen to her, then they could happen to him just as easily. With the help of the man, Maya mounted the bull, stamping at the foreign weight on its back.

"Maya, what the hell are you doing?" She snapped her head to see Zay, his hands gripping the edge of the cage. "You're not riding Tombstone!"

"What?"  
"I came to tell you he's coming. Maya, you didn't tell me this was your plan."

"It wasn't, it-" Maya's breath caught and she fought to keep the tears out of her voice. "Zay, it was the only way to get him out of this." She was scared. She was so scared.

But she wasn't changing her mind.

In the distance, she saw Lucas and Riley walking up, taking their sweet time. Then Riley stopped dead in her tracks, pointing straight at - Maya.

Maya's eyes widened round as orbs as Lucas started sprinting towards her. Riley was too, but she couldn't keep up. She heard frantic shouts of her name, but they were still far away. For a second, her heart stopped. Would she really be unable to stop him, after all she went through?

But then the man yelled, "Ready?"

"Ready," Maya called back.

"Maya-" Zay started, but he was drowned out by the crowd's roar. Lucas and Riley were close and she could make out their continuous shouts, but the pen door opened and the bull went out.

Maya desperately fought to keep a hold on him, as he bucked and brayed. Then, Maya was flying, high in the air. She felt as if she could feel herself stretching to the ends of the arena. She heard her name again, but she couldn't discern who it came from. Gravity took it's hold and Maya's stomach dropped and then - nothing.

* * *

TEN MINUTES EARLIER

"Hey, Riley," Lucas said, as she sat down across from him, "what's up with her?" They both dared a glance at Maya whose back was still turned to them.

"Honestly, I don't know. I can find out."

"No, that's okay." They sat there for a moment in comfortable silence.

"I'm really proud of you, Lucas. You're gonna be wonderful," Riley said, and then she smiled at him in such a sweet way that made Lucas feel so confident in himself.

"Thanks for believing in me, Riley," he said.

"I always will." They talked about Texas a little longer, and about how different it was from New York until -

"Next up: Lucas Friar tangles with Tombstone." Riley grabbed his hand and squeezed it. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought as he stood up.

It was then that Zay came in, staggering.

"Zay, what's wrong?" Lucas heard Farkle say. Zay started mumbling about not feeling good before he collapsed, sprawled onto the ground.

Riley sprang up, hand to her mouth, and in an instant, Lucas was beside his best friend, slightly shaking him. "Farkle-"

"I'll go get Pappy Joe," and with that, he was gone and it was only Lucas, Riley and Zay left in the tent. Riley knelt next to Lucas, her eyes wide and round.

"What do you think happened?" Riley said, in a shaky voice. Bull riding was the farthest thing from Lucas' mind as he grabbed his unconscious best friend's shoulders.

"I'm guessing heatstroke." There was a beat of silence. "Riley, we've gotta get him to a hospital or something." Lucas started to panic. He didn't know what to do in this situation! What if Zay was really hurt? What would he do then? Lucas shook Zay a little rougher, and he thought he heard the ghost of a noise from him. Lucas stopped shaking him and gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Zay pried Lucas' fingers off of him and rubbed his shoulders.

"Zay?" Lucas said, brow knit in confusion. Zay groaned.

"Your fingers were digging into my skin!" Lucas helped Riley to her feet; she seemed just as confused as he was. Wearily, he extended a hand to Zay. He took it and brushed the dust off himself.

"Zay, what happened?" Zay looked like a deer caught in headlights, before he started staggering again.

"I'm very ill," he rasped. Lucas cocked his head in suspicion and Zay, realizing the jig was up, straightened.

"Fine. I didn't want you to ride Tombstone," he said, defeated. Lucas exhaled in relief. Thank god he was alright. He pulled Zay into a quick hug.

"You scared the crap out of me." Lucas pulled away. "But I'm riding the bull." He paused for a second, looking around. "Where's Maya?"

"Bathroom," Zay said. "I'm gonna go get a snack before it starts," and with a slap on the back and a "good luck" tossed over his shoulder, Zay was gone.

"That was… weird," Riley said, hand over her heart. Lucas looked at her and laughed.

"When it comes to Zay, I've learned not to question it. You should text Farkle and let him know what's up."

"Right," Riley whipped out her cell phone, fingers flying across the screen. "You ready?" Lucas smiled, though his insides twisted. He wanted to throw a rock at the TV, still playing clips of Eddie Calloway. If he couldn't make it on his bull, how was Lucas supposed to make it on Tombstone? But he left with Riley, making their way towards the arena.

"You know, Pappy Joe is really happy to-" Lucas had started, but when he looked to his side, Riley wasn't next to him. He turned around and there she was, a few feet behind him. Her face was a mask of blind terror and her left arm was outstretched with her finger pointing straight ahead. Lucas almost didn't want to turn around. But he did.

And there was Maya, sitting on top of a big, black bull - Tombstone. Zay was on the ground, clutching at the gate of the pen. Within an instant, everything clicked and Lucas realized what Maya was about to do. She was going to ride the bull in his place.

And then, Lucas was running because - oh god, oh god, oh god - if he had only listened to her the first time - "Maya!" He could hear Riley echoing his calls and he was so close and he could see Maya looking right at him from under her helmet. For a second, he actually thought he would make it.

That's what he thought. But by the time he slammed into the gate, the bull was out of the pen. He tried to call her name, but by the time the word left his mouth, she was in the air, and then on the ground so fast.

There was a moment of tense silence as the crowd looked at Maya's still form.

" _Get the bull out of there!_ " An employee screamed, panic clear in his voice. As workers corralled Tombstone back into his pen, Lucas vaguely processed Farkle fitting himself in between him and Riley.

"Oh my god…" Farkle said. And then, voice thick with tears of fear, "Oh my god!" Riley buried her face in the crook of his neck, her ragged sobs breaking the deafening silence.

Maya was laying there, completely alone, tiny now that the bull had gone, just a long streak of color in the beige sand surrounding her. Lucas pulled himself over the gate, rushing to her side, but a large figure in blue stopped him.

Someone had contacted the paramedics who were at the rodeo. He watched helplessly as they carefully took her helmet off and laid her head down, her eyes loosely shut. He felt a hand on his shoulder and there was Zay, always next to him, always there. He forgot to be angry with him for helping her pull this stunt. He grabbed him tight, clutching at his shirt, choking back whimpers that evolved into gargled sobs.

"She's dead, Zay. I got her killed. It's my fault," he gasped out, snivelling.

"Lucas, they said she's got a pulse, okay? C'mon. Hey. The world wouldn't let someone as good as Maya Hart die."

* * *

The ride to the hospital was tense and quiet except for Riley's gasps and sniffles after seeing Maya get boarded into an ambulance, Lucas just felt numb. She was so vibrant, so alive, that it couldn't just be sucked out of her. Like Zay had said, the world wouldn't let that happen. Lucas didn't know what he believed in right at that moment, but he had enough faith in the universe to know that it wouldn't take Maya Hart away from him. That it wouldn't take Maya Hart away from life.

The air in the hospital was smelled sterile and diseased at the same time. Lucas felt like something was slowly crushing the air out of his lungs, making it impossible to swallow. Riley had finally let go of Farkle after clinging to him the whole drive. Lucas would see Farkle furiously rub at his eyes every thirty seconds, but never once did so much as a whimper escape his mouth.

Riley was shaking, her tears never once stopping. She was white as a sheet and while Lucas wanted to say words of comfort, he couldn't bring himself to utter them until he knew they were true. Zay was working as support for everyone, but when he thought Lucas wasn't looking, he saw Zay wringing his hands and even in his sort of stupor, he noticed how Zay could never quite meet his eyes.  
Lucas was teeming with hot anger for Zay, just ready to teem over, but if he acknowledged that feeling, then he'd have to acknowledge his other feelings and if he did that, he wasn't sure he'd be able to breathe.

"I'm gonna call my dad," Riley said, just barely pricking the edges of Lucas' consciousness. After a few bits, Riley said, "Daddy?" She started to cry again.

"Maya's hurt… No, we're at the hospital… She was scared Lucas would get hurt so she rode the bull instead… Dad, she wouldn't wake up after she fell off… I'm really scared, Dad." After this, Riley's breath evened out a little bit. "Yeah, Pappy Joe is taking to the doctors… They're fine… Okay… Bye." Riley clicked the phone off and Lucas looked toward her expectantly.

Without meeting his eyes, Riley dully said, "He's gonna tell Maya's mom." This hadn't occurred to Lucas, that Ms. Hart would have to be told that her daughter's strung up in some hospital bed, possibly fighting for her life. He'd met Maya's mom a few times, and he'd really liked her, so he tried to push the image of her face when she got the phone call out of his mind.

Pappy Joe sat down next to Lucas, his presence strong and solemn. Lucas couldn't help but notice he was disappointed that Lucas never got the chance to ride Tombstone. For once, he didn't care what his grandfather thought. Maya was right, and if he had only listened to her, they both would be okay.

"Maya Hart?" A doctor was standing in front of them. He looked young, but worry lines and frown lines were etched across his face. At the sound of her name, Lucas was pulled back into the moment. Whatever the doctor said, once he's said it, there'd be no going back.

"I'm afraid she's still unconscious. There's no internal bleeding but we are doing testing for brain damage." At the sound of those two words, Lucas sharply inhaled. He thought the worst thing would be if she died, but a vegetable, hooked up to machines for the rest of her life? Lucas felt like throwing up. "Miss Hart has slipped into a coma, but-"

"I can't, I'm sorry." Riley pushed herself off the chair and flew down the hall. Without a moment of hesitation, Farkle was chasing after her, calling her name.

After a beat, the doctor asked, "Are the rest of you comfortable if I continue?" Lucas nodded, gripping the armrest. He had to know.

"Like I said, Maya - Miss Hart - has slipped into a coma. But the first 24 to 48 hours are very important regarding whether she'll wake up or not. We had a bit of a scare earlier, but she's stable and breathing now. I'm sorry I don't have more information for you."

"Wait, by a bit of a scare," Zay started, "you mean..?" The doctor looked away.

"Her heart stopped temporarily, but as I said, she's stable for now. I'll keep you updated on her condition."

After the doctor left, the three of them sat in silence for a few minutes. Lucas felt the blood pumping through his chest turn to lead and harden, as his eyes burned. Without even realizing it, Lucas was running and running, flashes of red darting across his eyes. He ran and ran and ran until he was outside, gulping in the crisp, autumn air. He practically threw himself against the railing, desperate to find something concrete to grab hold of as everything around him was crumbling.

"Lucas!" He heard Zay calling for him. Lucas could feel his anger bubbling to the surface, hot and volatile. "Lucas, c'mon." Zay reached out his hand, but Lucas recoiled from him. He leaned forward and shoved Zay. Like a rag doll, his shoulders swayed with Lucas' push.

"Why'd you help her?" He yelled. "You let this happen! She might die and it's your fault!" With each scathing word, Lucas would push Zay again, and Zay never fought back. Lucas' throat kept shouting at him to stop, that it hurts, but he wanted to get the feeling out of him, and he thought the more volume he used, the more it would work.

"She might _die_!" He said again, only this time, his voice folded into itself, breaking on the last word. Lucas stopped, chest heaving, hulking breaths escaping him. Zay looked down, unnervingly quiet for someone usually so talkative. Lucas snivelled and rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes. Zay's mouth opened and closed as if he was about to say something, but changed his mind.

Lucas let out a long sigh, like he had deflated, all the anger sapping out of him, drained of the adrenaline that had powered him. He lowered himself until he was sitting on the ground. Now, Lucas just felt tired. He was sore all over and his limbs felt weighed down by bricks. Zay slid down next to him, looking at the ground while Lucas looked at him, already feeling guilty.

"All she told me was that she was gonna stop you. I didn't know she was gonna do that. I tried to talk her out of it, Lucas, but she wouldn't listen to me." Lucas put his head in his hands, taking shaky breaths, and he felt Zay's warm hand on his back making circular motions.

"I'm sorry, Lucas," Zay whispered, a twinge in his voice. Lucas ran his hands over his face. Finally, he put an arm around Zay, returning the comfort given to him.

"Boys, they say you can see her now," Pappy Joe said, standing in the center of the automatic doors. For the first time, he looked uncomfortable and weary, his usual mask of stoicism gone. Lucas and Zay scrambled to their feet.

"Why? Is she awake?" Pappy Joe cast his eyes down, shaking his head. Lucas' heart sank. They walked through the winding halls of the hospital. Lucas didn't realize how far he had run. By the time they were back in the waiting room, Riley and Farkle had returned.

Riley's eyes were closed and her head rested on Farkle's shoulder, hiccuping breaths coming from her. Farkle's eyes stared ahead, glassily. Lucas guessed Riley must have been asleep.

"They said we can see Maya, Farkle," Lucas said.

"I think I'm gonna wait until Riley wakes up," he said, only letting his eyes look at Lucas so he wouldn't disturb Riley.

"Zay?"

"You go." Lucas wiped his hands on his jeans, dragging his feet behind him. He wanted to see Maya, but he didn't want to see Maya like that. When he reached room 134, his hands were shaking. He curled his fingers into a fist and rapped sharply on the door. When no one answered, he went in.

Lucas felt the air being squeezed out of him, like a balloon. He took a few wobbly steps and collapsed in the chair next to her bed. One of the machines beeped steadily, pounding in Lucas' head. Maya was pale, nearly blending in with the stark white sheets she was lying under. Her face was a clean slate, free of any emotion or indication that there was anything inside.

Lucas grabbed Maya's hand. It was limp and lifeless, but Lucas tried to ignore that, lacing his fingers through hers. He pressed the back of her cool hand to his forehead and let a few silent tears trickle down his face and drip off the end of his nose.

"I'm sorry, Maya," he whispered, kissing her knuckles, "I'm sorry." He wasn't sure how long he sat there with her like that, but it must have been five or ten minutes at least. It wasn't until Riley was standing in the doorway that Lucas let Maya's hand drop from his head, and he could already feel the absence of her pressure.

"Hey, Lucas," Riley said, her eyes flicking down to where his fingers were still intertwined with Maya's. After a moment, he let go, gently setting her hand down on the bed. He looked at Riley properly for the first time since the rodeo. She was almost as pale as Maya was. Her hair was let down from her pigtails, her eyes red-rimmed. She seemed tiny and fragile and terrified. Riley cleared her throat.

"Um, can I sit with Maya for a bit?" She asked, in a wobbly voice. Lucas didn't trust himself to speak, so he mutely nodded. ON an impulse, he pulled Riley into a hug, trying to give her comfort in whatever way he could. When he pulled away, she just looked more shaken. After a lingering glance at Maya, he left, back to the waiting room.

Zay was talking to Pappy Joe, but Farkle was sitting alone in the corner. For a second, Lucas thought he was sleeping, but then Farkle looked up at him, a tight stretched smile on his face. Lucas slid into the chair next to him.

"How're you doing?" Farkle shifted in his chair.

"I don't really know, if I'm being honest. Maya's my best friend and Riley… isn't doing so well." Lucas clapped a hand to Farkle's back.

It was then they heard Riley scream.

"Doctor!" She shrieked. "I need a doctor!" The one who'd talked to them earlier looked up in alarm, dropping his pen and running towards the sound of the noise. Lucas stood up, holding the tips of his to the sides of his head.

"Please, no," he whispered. "Save her, please. Don't take her away." He started to run to her room, but strong hands wrapped around his chest, restraining him.

"Let me go!" The hands only hugged him tighter. "Zay, let me _go_!" He crumpled, no longer fighting, but he kept saying those words, "let me go, let me go," over and over again. Zay spun Lucas around so he was facing him, and Lucas pressed his forehead to Zay's shoulder.

"Lucas," he whispered, panting, "you don't want to see her like that." He stood there, grabbing onto Zay, his sobs muffled on his shoulder. He only pulled away when the doctor came out and Lucas prepared himself to hear the words, knowing there'd be no going back. Zay gripped his arm to steady him.

"Okay," the doctor started. "I'm going to have to ask you to go in one at a time so you don't overwhelm her, but she wants to see you guys." Lucas' breath caught, and he refused to allow a small piece of hope to bubble up in him.

"But she's not - she's alive?" There was a beat. "But Riley yelled for a doctor and.." His voice tapered off.

"Mr. Friar… she woke up." Lucas felt new tears prick his eyes, a different kind of tears.

"She's okay?"

"We'll have to run a few tests, but odds are good she'll make a full recovery." _She's okay_ , Lucas thought, repeating it like a mantra. _She's okay_.

"Can I… see her?" Lucas asked, though he wasn't sure what he would say.

"I'm gonna go wash up," Riley said, a tentative smile on her lips, like she was afraid the rug would be yanked out from under her.

After about a dozen shaky steps, he found herself in front of her door. He raised his fist slowly, and knocked. He could barely hear her weak "come in," but it was there and it was _her voice_ and she wasn't just alive, she was awake.

Without thinking, Lucas turned the handle and opened the door. He stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, just watching her. She was still pale, but some color had come back into her face. Her chest was rising up and down and her eyes were open, looking at him with a hint of surprise.

Sobs of relief escaped him, and he almost broke down right then, but instead he staggered over to the chair next to her bed, the one he sat in just fifteen minutes ago.

"I thought - I thought - that you were-" He gasped in between phrases, trying to keep a hold on himself.

"Lucas-" He let out a hissing breath, shook his head, and rubbed hard at his eyes.

"Sorry." There was a beat of silence.

"Guess I'm the huckleberry now, huh?" Maya said, trying to make a joke, but Lucas wasn't laughing.

"No, don't do that. Don't act like this was nothing," he said, trying to keep his breath even. Maya's eyes flashed, guiltily. "Why did you do it?" The corner of her mouth tugged upwards into a small smile.

"Why do you think?"

"I'm sorry. I - I should have listened to you." There was another moment of silence, but the tension had eased a bit.

"You should go clean up, Lucas. You look like a wreck." He let out a loose laugh, and looked down at his feet.

"Yeah? Why do you think that is?" Maya tried to sit up a bit, wincing. "Hey, take it easy." Maya listened, and laid back, already exhausted from the small effort.

"I just didn't think you would care so much," she said.

"Maya," Lucas started, "I can't lose you." Maya's face transformed into a collection of indiscernible emotions.

"Well, don't worry, huckleberry. There's no getting me out of your hair." He smiled, grabbing her hand as he did before, kissing her knuckles in the same way, but this time, Maya's hand wasn't limp. It was so, so alive, just like she was.


	2. Author's Note

So, I have had a lot of people asking me to update which makes me very happy! However, upon serious contemplation, I believe I have taken this story as far as it's going to go. However, by tonight, I am posting all of the fanfiction I have written of late, which is a lot. And you can request stuff in the comments, and I will do my best to publish them! I am very glad you all liked my story, please feel free to request things and check back soon for more!


	3. a note to the fandom

okay i am so sorry to be that person who's being all annoying and stuff but i want to let you know: i am not signing off. i will still write fic and make edits and if anyone wants to message me and fangirl about this great show then i will be right along with you. there's also a petition for netflix that may not do anything (but it's worth a try and it worked for degrassi) and i suggest you all sign it! but know this. i am still here. i am still with all of you. and even if every other voice in the fandom dies out, i will still be here screaming and yelling like we did when this show was on the air. i love you all and i look forward to writing more fanfiction for you.


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